Maricopa Colleges and Kaplan University Team Up to Help Students Earn
Bachelor Degrees and Save Money

TEMPE, Ariz. & DAVENPORT, Iowa--(EON: Enhanced Online News)--Maricopa
Community Colleges and Kaplan
University today announced a new partnership that is designed to
help students throughout Arizona achieve their goal of cost-effectively
earning a bachelor’s degree in high demand fields of study. The
agreement includes a new 3+1 option that enables students to continue
seamlessly their studies at Maricopa for up to three years before
transferring to Kaplan University to complete their major requirements
for a bachelor’s degree.

“It also addresses the growing skills
gap where the jobs of tomorrow increasingly require advanced degrees.”

“The flexible transfer pathways from Maricopa Community Colleges to
Kaplan University maximize credit transfer and therefore provide a very
cost-effective option for students to earn both an associate's degree
and bachelor's degree to prepare for some of the most in-demand jobs in
the Greater Phoenix Metropolitan area,” said Dr. Rufus Glasper, Maricopa
Community Colleges Chancellor. Maricopa is one of the largest
multi-college community college systems in the United States, serving
nearly 265,000 students.

How the 3+1 option works:

Students consult both a Maricopa and Kaplan University academic advisor
to determine the corresponding associate’s degree pathway that best
matches the student’s educational and career goals. While studying at
Maricopa, students complete specific requirements in addition to their
associate’s degree requirements. The maximum number of transfer credits
varies per Kaplan University degree program. After graduation and
earning an associate’s degree at Maricopa, the student then seamlessly
enrolls with Kaplan University to complete the selected bachelor’s
degree program in about 54 weeks.

The 3+1 option delivers several important and tangible benefits for
students: They save money by continuing their studies at the community
college for an additional year. Additionally, Kaplan University is
offering a 25 percent discount to Maricopa students who elect to take
advantage of the 3+1 option. The discount is also being made available
to Maricopa alumni, faculty and staff. Also, course credits transfer
quickly and easily. Since the student decides early in the process to
earn a bachelor’s degree and as a result of the agreement, the student’s
courses have already been evaluated and accepted by Kaplan University.
By transferring the optimal number of qualifying credits combined with
no admissions waiting lists, students can avoid lengthy transfer
periods, complete their studies, and earn their bachelor degrees faster.

“America’s community colleges have been called upon to increase student
success and ensure a 21st-century prepared workforce,” said
Walter G. Bumphus, Ph.D., President and CEO of the American Association
of Community Colleges. “Community colleges offer pathways to economic
success for all students as well as a benefit to the local economy,”
Bumphus continued. “Enhancing opportunities and access by partnering
with baccalaureate-granting colleges that provide clear completion and
transfer pathways, as well as a reasonable fee structure, is a win-win
for students and for our nation’s workforce.”

“Kaplan University’s partnership with Maricopa Community Colleges is
designed to meet their students where they are and where they want to
go. For students who have the goal of earning a bachelor’s degree, we
provide them with a clear streamlined educational path that saves them
both time and money, helping cross the finish line,” said Dr. Wade Dyke,
President of Kaplan University. “It also addresses the growing skills
gap where the jobs of tomorrow increasingly require advanced degrees.”

The Maricopa
Community College system includes 10 colleges – Chandler-Gilbert,
Estrella Mountain, GateWay, Glendale, Mesa, Paradise Valley, Phoenix,
Rio Salado, Scottsdale and South Mountain. It also includes the Maricopa
Skill Center, Southwest Skill Center, the Maricopa Corporate College and
several satellite campuses and business/industry, technical and
customized training institutes.

The Maricopa County Community College District is an EEO/AA institution
and an equal opportunity employer of protected veterans and individuals
with disabilities.

About Kaplan University

Kaplan University offers a different school of thought for higher
education. It strives to help adult students unlock their talent by
providing a practical, student-centered education that prepares them for
careers in some of the fastest-growing industries. The University, which
has its main campus in Davenport, Iowa, and its headquarters in Chicago,
is accredited by The
Higher Learning Commission. Kaplan University serves approximately
41,000 online and campus-based students. The University has 14 campuses
in Iowa, Indiana, Nebraska, Maryland, Maine, Missouri and Wisconsin, and
a Kaplan University Learning Center in Maryland.

Kaplan University is part of Kaplan Higher Education LLC and Kaplan,
Inc., which serves over 1.2 million students globally each year through
its array of higher education, test preparation, professional education,
English-language training, university preparation, and K-12 offerings to
individuals, institutions, and businesses. Kaplan has operations in over
30 countries, employs more than 22,000 full- and part-time
professionals, and maintains relationships and partnerships with more
than 1,000 school districts, colleges, and universities, and over 2,600
corporations and businesses. Kaplan is a subsidiary of Graham Holdings
Company (NYSE: GHC) and its largest division. For more information,
please visit www.Kaplan.com.